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My new soft-key settings for RAW shooting...

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turnstyle

turnstyle

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I've decided to try shooting RAW, and it seems some of my previous soft-key choices would no longer effect RAW images (such as Creative Style and White Balance). So here's what I'm thinking for RAW:

B:
ISO

C:
Metering Mode
Auto-focus Area
HDR/ISO

As I see it, it's easy enough to leave the main menu on Shooting Mode, so it's still fairly simple to click the A (Menu) button to access Shooting Mode. And I think it's fun to have easy access to ISO.

Alternatively, I might also try:

B:
Shooting Mode

C:
ISO, plus two of these:
Metering Mode
Auto-focus Area
HDR/ISO

How have you RAW shooters configured your soft-keys?
 
Mine is setup:

B: shoot mode
C: Custom - ISO, Metering Mode and Autofocus Area

Makes the camera a lot more usable.
 
Yep! Though I think AutoHDR can be handy at times -- and it's kind of a hassle to get to it though the Brightness menu. In fact, I kind of wish AutoHDR was in the Shooting Mode menu (in which case I probably wouldn't assign it to a soft-key).

btw, does DRO have any effect on RAW images? Or is DRO JPEG-only?
 
But unfortunately in certain modes the camera returns to default button settings so I found it less than optimal.

Ideally if you set your button B (for example) to Shoot Mode (which would be my preference), it would retain that regardless of what mode you went to, otherwise you would use B to enter into say Panorama mode (I believe this is one of the modes that ignores your custom buttons... I could be wrong, it may be another), but then wouldn't be able to press the same button to exit it, and would have to go into the menus anyway to switch to another mode.

Because of that, these days I do as you described and just leave my main menu on the Shoot Mode category. Not ideal, but workable.
  • k
 
DRO/Auto HDR is not available if you are shooting raw.
 
swiftseven said:
DRO/Auto HDR is not available if you are shooting raw.
Click to expand...
I believe that if you're in RAW for Handheld Twilight and Anti Motion Blur, it'll save the picture as a JPEG -- are you saying that if you're in RAW for HDR, it'll just refuse to shoot, rather than save as JPEG?
 
You cant select auto HDR when you are in RAW or RAW + JPEG modes. It seems a bit silly. Another thing sony needs to put in the next firmware.
 
darkref said:
You cant select auto HDR when you are in RAW or RAW + JPEG modes. It seems a bit silly. Another thing sony needs to put in the next firmware.
Click to expand...
Arg, you're right -- that's a poor design. You should be able to select HDR from within RAW, just like with HHT and AMB -- it should just save a JPEG, rather than disable.

So then it's a real hassle to use HDR when shooting RAW? ie, you have to switch to JPEG and switch on HDR?

Is there a good way to report things like this to Sony?

Another recent thread -- that the Slow Burst mode doesn't actually auto focus -- also seems like a strange design choice -- seems worth trying to bring these details to Sony's attention?
 
turnstyle said:
darkref said:
You cant select auto HDR when you are in RAW or RAW + JPEG modes. It seems a bit silly. Another thing sony needs to put in the next firmware.
Click to expand...
Arg, you're right -- that's a poor design. You should be able to select HDR from within RAW, just like with HHT and AMB -- it should just save a JPEG, rather than disable.

So then it's a real hassle to use HDR when shooting RAW? ie, you have to switch to JPEG and switch on HDR?

Is there a good way to report things like this to Sony?

Another recent thread -- that the Slow Burst mode doesn't actually auto focus -- also seems like a strange design choice -- seems worth trying to bring these details to Sony's attention?
Click to expand...
Yes, we should make a list and send it to them. These are trivial things to change. But as you say I don't know how to bring it to their attention. I'll have a look later.
 
darkref said:
Yes, we should make a list and send it to them. These are trivial things to change. But as you say I don't know how to bring it to their attention. I'll have a look later.
Click to expand...
Is anybody here actually associated with dpreview? A thoughtful list of sensible suggestions, well-organized, and not ranty -- if submitted though a respected source, Sony might actually pay attention.

Some things I might add to such a list:

1) HDR should revert to JPEG when shooting RAW, rather than be disabled

2) Slow Burst should automatically turn on Continuous Autofocus (and then revert it back to however it was set before you entered Slow Burst)

3) Personally, I think HDR should also be available via Scene Selection -- I don't really get why AMB is in the main menu, HHT is in Scene Selection, and HDR is in Brightness.

4) Bracketing should offer even wider jumps (for software-based HDR) -- and it should perhaps offer the option to take more than 3 exposures.

5) when shooting AutoISO, have the screen display tell you what ISO it actually picked, rather than just "AutoISO"

6) keep histogram on-screen when you adjust exposure comp.

7) enable self timer for HDR, bracketing, etc.

8) option to shoot 720p for NEX5
 
I'm not really sure about number 3, I don't know where it should go.

But maybe another one

9) Add the option to customise the bottom soft button the same way as the middle soft button, with 3 scroll-able sub menus (and maybe even add the option of customizing the display/flash/movie buttons).
 
darkref said:
I'm not really sure about number 3, I don't know where it should go.

But maybe another one

9) Add the option to customise the bottom soft button the same way as the middle soft button, with 3 scroll-able sub menus (and maybe even add the option of customizing the display/flash/movie buttons).
Click to expand...
Yes: I don't see why B couldn't have multiple options the way C can -- furthermore, I don't see why it needs to be limited to 3 per button.

(Though personally I think Sony would be reluctant to let people change the behaviors of the "not already soft" buttons.)

As for HHT, AMB, HDR -- I just find it a bit inconsistent that AMB is in the main mode menu, whereas HHT is within Scene Selection, and HDR is in Brightness.

If I were to submit a list to Sony, I would differentiate between "these seem like bugs" vs. "it would be nice if"...
 
An option to create profiles for the custom button setup would be really nice so we could set up for shooting situations in advance. Say 3 custom button profiles.
 
this may be a noob question, but how do you assing your soft keys to do other things?? i have a Nex 3, not a Nex 5, dont know if it matters... i cant stand the shooting tips.. so useless to me, would much rather assign something to that button...
--
D700 & D300, various lenses.
 
Nikonan said:
this may be a noob question, but how do you assing your soft keys to do other things?? i have a Nex 3, not a Nex 5, dont know if it matters... i cant stand the shooting tips.. so useless to me, would much rather assign something to that button...
--
D700 & D300, various lenses.
Click to expand...
You need to have v3 of the firmware, and then you can do it from within Settings.
 
another noob question, and sorry posting it in this thread.. how do i go about updating the firmware?
mine says Body: Nex-3
Ver. 02
turnstyle said:
Nikonan said:
this may be a noob question, but how do you assing your soft keys to do other things?? i have a Nex 3, not a Nex 5, dont know if it matters... i cant stand the shooting tips.. so useless to me, would much rather assign something to that button...
--
D700 & D300, various lenses.
Click to expand...
You need to have v3 of the firmware, and then you can do it from within Settings.
Click to expand...
--
D700 & D300, various lenses.
 
actually, yeah thats what i did, sorry.. should have just done that first.. but... it doesnt mention macintosh anywhere... :(
turnstyle said:
Try looking for the support section of the Sony site -- at least that's how I think I found it...
Click to expand...
--
D700 & D300, various lenses.
 
just ignore me.. i found it.. sorry to bother. lol
turnstyle said:
Try looking for the support section of the Sony site -- at least that's how I think I found it...
Click to expand...
--
D700 & D300, various lenses.
 
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